EPR and NMR study of molecular components mobility and organization in goat milk under ultrasound treatment

Abstract

The effect of ultrasound treatment on molecular mobility and organization of the main components in raw goat milk was studied by EPR and NMR spectroscopies. NMR relaxation studies showed an increase in the spin–lattice T1 and spin–spin T2 relaxation times in goat milk products (cream, anhydrous fat) and change in the diffusion of proton-containing molecules during ultrasound treatment. The diffusion became more uniform and could be rather accurately approximated by one effective diffusion coefficient Deff, which indicates homogenization of goat milk components, dispersion of globular and supermicellar formations under sonication. EPR studies have shown that molecular mobility and organization of hydrophobic regions in goat milk are similar to those observed in micellar formations of surfactants with a hydrocarbon chain length C12–C16. Ultrasound treatment did not affect submicellar and protein globule organization. Free radicals arising under ultrasound impact of milk reacted quickly with components of goat milk (triglycerides, proteins, fatty acids) and were not observed by spin trapping method.